San Diego Mesa College to UCI
Economics Transfer Plan
Mesa matches seven of UCI's nine Economics requirement slots, covering micro, macro, calculus and the programming pick. ECON 15A and ECON 15B are the two courses left for after transfer.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Irvine
EconomicsUC Irvine TAG
Mesa students at a 3.4 GPA can apply through the Transfer Admission Guarantee for fall 2027. UCI drops Economics from TAG eligibility starting the following cycle, fall 2028.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Irvine's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 121 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I | 3 |
| ECON 120 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 20B — Basic Economics II | 3 |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 151 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 4 |
| No Mesa match | ECON 15A — Probability and Statistics in Economics I | — |
| No Mesa match | ECON 15B — Probability and Statistics in Economics II | — |
| ANTH 102 (or another listed option) — Introduction to Biological Anthropology | Introductory Social Science courses in disciplines other than Economics for Economics (choose 2) | 3 |
| CISC 217 — Intermediate Python Programming | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 4 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at San Diego Mesa College
Complete these five courses at San Diego Mesa College to start your UCI GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
BIOL 100
Natural History - Environmental Biology
CHEM 100
Fundamentals of Chemistry
HIST 100
World History I
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at San Diego Mesa College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Natural History - Environmental Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 100 — Fundamentals of Chemistry | 3 |
Humanities | HIST 100 — World History I | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
Calculus needs three semesters minimum
MATH 141 feeds MATH 150, which feeds MATH 151. That's the shortest route through Mesa's calculus requirement, so don't wait to enroll in MATH 141.
Mesa runs semesters, UCI runs quarters
Mesa's semester classes convert to quarter units once they transfer, and UCI's terms move faster, packing similar material into a shorter ten-week window.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Transfermatic generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
CISC 217 has its own prerequisite
Mesa's CISC 217, which satisfies I&C SCI 31, requires CISC 179 first. Factor that extra course into your schedule if you haven't taken it yet.
Calculus runs three semesters minimum
MATH 141 comes before MATH 150, which comes before MATH 151. Get into that sequence early so it doesn't hold up the rest of your major prep.
The statistics pair isn't an admission gate
ECON 15A and ECON 15B have no Mesa match, but UCI's screening only checks micro, macro and calculus grades, so this gap doesn't block admission.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mesa ECON 121 transfer to UCI as ECON 20A?
Yes, ECON 121 satisfies UCI's ECON 20A microeconomics requirement, and ECON 120 covers ECON 20B macroeconomics. Both need a B or better for admission.
What classes doesn't Mesa cover for UCI Economics?
Mesa has no match for ECON 15A or ECON 15B. Neither blocks admission, they're additional major-prep courses you finish once you're at UCI.
Is UC Irvine TAG open to Mesa Economics students?
Yes, for fall 2027 applicants with a 3.4 GPA. UCI removes Economics from TAG starting fall 2028, so act within this admission cycle.
What do I need before Mesa's CISC 217?
CISC 179 first. It's the prerequisite for CISC 217, the course that satisfies UCI's I&C SCI 31 programming requirement.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students transferring into Economics, B.A. at the University of California, Irvine cover seven of nine prep requirements. ECON 121 handles microeconomics, ECON 120 handles macroeconomics, and CISC 217, which requires CISC 179 first, satisfies UCI's programming pick. ECON 15A and ECON 15B remain uncovered. Transfermatic lays out the full Mesa-to-UCI Economics path, including that CISC prerequisite, so nothing catches you off guard mid-semester.
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